Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines



J. KELLER.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1919.

1,406,9 6, L Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Z0 L i6 J. KELLER.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION man MAR. 17, 1919. I 1 406 986. v Patented Feb.-2l,- 1922.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mun H ii ziililllill E ?,\\\\\\V1|||||-|l| a citizen of'the UnitedStates residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and 1 very large seatingforce.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH KELLER, O1 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH E. ROSENI'ELD,

OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

- ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, JEREMIAH KELLER,

state of linois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRotary Valvesfor Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following isa specification.

The present 'nvention has to do with improvements in rotary valves forinternal .combustion engines and has particular ref erence toimprovements in poppet valves embodying the rotary'feature. These poppetvalves are normally seated under spring pressure and they are opened bylifting them against such spring pressure. The peripheral portion of thevalve is generally beveled to seat evenly against a beveled seat. Owingto wear in the operation of the valve, and also owing to the hightemperatures at which it operates, it is found desirable to cause thevalve to rotate duringthe successive operations. N

' Owing to the high speed at which these valves operate, it is necessaryto provide a very positive form of rotating mechanism and one which willoperate positively at high speed. One of the objects of this inventionis to provide a rotating devicewhich will conform very successfullyto'this requirement.

The springs which are used for reseating the valve are generally verystiff and exert a Consequently, it is desirable to so construct therotating mechanism that the friction or resistance generated by thespring will not interfere with the rotation of the valve itself.Therefore, another object of the invention is to so construct the valveand rotating mechanism that the force of the spring will not betransmitted through the rotating devices, but will be taken careofindependently thereof.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of this type which shall besimple and easily constructed from a comparatively small number of partsand at low cost.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detaileddescription of having applied thereto a valve and rotating Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 21, 1922. Application flled March 17,1919. Serial No. 283,193.

. position.

Fig. 3. shows a bottom. end view of the rotatlng mechanism.

Fig. 4;, shows a longitudinal sectionthrough the valve and rotatingmechanism on considerably enlarged scale as compared to the previousfigures.

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged cross section through the spring-cup.

Fig. 6 shows a bottom view corresponding to Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows a side view of the plug which closes the lower end of thespring-cup.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but is taken at right anglesthereto.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 4 looking in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. l'looking in thedirection of the arrows. 4

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line -11 11 of Fig. 4 looking in thedirection of the arrows; and, h

Fig. 12 is a side view of one of the clutch elements.

For purposes of convenience in illustration and for a betterunderstanding of the invention, 1 have shown the valve as being appliedto an engine 13 having a gas passage 14 and another gas passage 15between which the flow of gas is to be controlled. The valve itself isdesignated by the numeral 16. It is formed or fastened to the upper endof the stem 17 which stem extends down through and finds a reciprocatingbearing in a neck portion 18.

Ordinarily the reciprocation of the valve is secured by a finger or acam pressing upwards against the lower end of the stem. Inthe presentcase I have provided means whereby the stem will be periodically rotatedduring its movement. I will now describe the same in detail.

The bearing-sleeve 18 is shown as projecting downwardly in acontinuation 19 so as togive additional bearing and support to thevalve-stem. A collar 20 surrounds the extension 19 and has a flange 21which seats against the partition wall 22 of the engine. This collar hasa downwardly extending sleeve 23,.the detailed construction of which iswell shown in Figs. 1' and 2. It is provided with a pair of op sitelylocated slots 24 and 25, only the sot 24 appearing in Figs. 1 and 2.Another sleeve 26 surrounds the lower portions of the stem 17 beingspaced from said stem a sufiiclent distance so that itsarms 27 and 28may work within the slots 24 and 25. Only the arm 27 appears in Figslland 2.- k

The arms 27 and 28 are in reality formed by a pair of slots cut in thesleeve 26, which slots are complementary to the slots 24 and.

25. All of the slots are cut at anan le with respect to the axialdirection of t e device, so that while moving the two sleeves 23 and 26with respect to each other, they will be caused'to rotate through adesired angle. It is desired to provide means for communicating thisrotation'to stem 17 in such a way and in such manner as to insure theproper rotation of the valve. T

e lower end of the sleeve 26 carries a flange 29 which works within aclutch-cup 30. Said clutch-cup is provided with a downwardly dependingcollar 31 which is secured to the lower end of the stem 17 by.

' 29 of the sleeve 26 in counter clockwise direction, as shown in Fig.10, the balls or rollers will rock and cause the clutch-cup 30 to alsorotate, which rotation will be communicated to the valve stem.

In order to insure a proper seating of the rollers during the periodicaloperation of the device at high speed, I have shown the springs 36 whichpress against the rollers and tend to force them into locking enagementbetween the parts at all times. 3 spring washer '37 serves to retain therollers 35 and springs 36 in position within the friction cup.

The main spring 38 tends to force the valve stem down for the purpose ofseating the valve. Ordinarily, this spring communicates its forcedirectly to the valve stemor to some element directly connectedtherewith. In the present case I have provided .a spring-cup 39comprising a flanged portion 40' and a collar 41, which spring cupsurrounds or covers over the friction clutch. This cup is provided withan upstanding flange 42 around which is seated a washer 43 against whichthe lower end of the main s ring 38 finds a bearing. By reason of t econfiguratlon of the spring-cup 39, a

t e spring 43 into which may be entered the forks of a valve liftingtool in order to remove the spring pressure from the valve when desired.a

The upper end of the spring presses directly against the flange 21, oragainst a washer 45 seated thereagainst.

A cap 46, the detailed construction of which is shown in Figs. 7 and8,'serves to close the lower end of the spring-cu This cap is generallycircular in form an has an upstanding central lug 47 which seats intothe lower end of the spring-cup. This lug is provided with a mutilatedbevel comprising the beveled portions 48 and 49, each occupyingpractically 90 of circumference, in combination with a pair of mutilatedor straight sections 50 and 51, each of which also occuies approximately90. of circumference.

formed, as shown in Fig. 5, that the cap may be set into it, after whichthe cap may be he lower portion of the spring-cup is so rotated aquarter of a turn to completely a will be readily understood from anexamination of Fig. 4.

During the lifting operation the lifting force is communicated directlyto the lower face of the cap 46. From there it is transmitted to thevalve stem 17 through the medium of the spring washer 52, and isindependentlytransmitted to the main spring 38 by way of the spring-cupand washer 43.

It is thus observed that at no time does the force necessary to compressthe main spring have to be transmitted either to or through the valvestem, so that the-friction created by the main spring itself doesnothave to be overcome in order to rotate the valve stem.

In the ordinary operation of this device,

upon lifting the spring-cup the same will be held against rotation by.the friction of the -main spring, the upper -end of .said sprlng beingin contact with a stationary I part-45. The friction created by thewasher 52 between the clutch-cup 30 and the cap 46 'will be sufiicientto retain the valve-stem sponding to the slots 24 and 25, which forwardrotation will be communicated to the clutch-cup 30, through the mediumof the rollers 35. The rotation of the clutch-cup will, of course, betransmitted to the valve stem. which will thus be rotated'through thedesired angle on the down-stroke.

By the use of a. construction in which the rotation of the valve takesdown-stroke as distinguished rom rotation on the \lP-StlOkO, it ispossible to have the valve in rotation at the instant it comes intocontact with the seat, so that more or less of a grinding action issecured. The results in a-more perfect seating at each operation andalso serves to keep the valve and seat always in perfect condition. Infact the action is such as to polish the valve and seat, and maintainthem in such condition. This action is enhanced by the further fact thatthe arrangement permits the valve to over-ride in its rotary motion,continuing its rotation beyond the time when the rotating tendency ofthe clutch has ceased. The use of a friction clutch in turn assists thisover-riding tendency since it is possible for the valve to continue itsmotion much easier with this type of. drive combination with a valvehaving a down-- the lower end of the valve stem independ-- 'ent-ly,substantially as described.

than is the vcase when using a ratchet or other similar device.

While I have herein shown and described only a sin le embodiment of thefeatures of my invention, still I wish it understood that I do not limitmyself to said embodiment except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the

wardly depending stem and a stationary member through which said stemoperates, of a pair of cooperating sleeves surrounding the stem andhaving complementary engaging angular projections whereby relativelongitudinal movement between said sleeves results in their relativeangular movement, one of said sleeves being in engagement with astationary part, a clutch flange on the lower end of the other sleeve,said clutch flange having a plurality of cam slots, a clutch-cupsurrounding said flange, a connection between said cup and the lower endof the valve stem, clutch rollers between the clutclrcup and the clutchflange, springs normally pressing said rollers into locking engagementbetween the parts, a spring-cup surrounding the clutch-cup and freelymovable with respect thereto, a cap closing the lower end of thespring-cup, a spring washer between the clutch-cu and said cap, and amain spring surrounding the parts and 00- cupying a position between thespring-cup and a stationary part, whereby lifting pressure applied tothe cap is transmitted through the spring-cup directly to the mainspring, and also is transmitted directly to clutch-cu lace on the 2. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a valve having astem working within a stationary part, of a secured to the lower end ofthe stem, a c utch-flange in said cup having a plurality of cam notchesin its periphery, clutch rollers in said notches, sprin normally forcingsaid rollers into locking engagement between the parts, means forperiodically rocking the clutch-flange back and forth for the purpose ofintermittently rotating the clutch-cup, a spring-cup surrounding theclutch-cup and independent thereof, a cap-closing the lower end of thespring-cup and a main spring surrounding the stem and located betweenthe spring-cup and the stationary (part whereby pressure lifting forcesexerte on th. cap are transmitted directly to the main spring throughthe spring-cup and whereby said lifting forces are also transmitteddirectly and independently to the lower end of the valve stem,substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a poppet valve and a stationary part wherein the sameoperates, said poppet valve having a valve stem, of a friction clutchinterposed between said-valve stem and another part against which saidfriction clutch may react, means for intermittently operating saidfriction-clutch for the purpose of intermittently rotating the valvestem, a spring-cup surrounding the friction clutch, a cap closing saidspring-cup and a main spring interposed between the spring-cup and thestationary part, whereby lifting forces on the cap are transmitteddirectly to the main spring through the spring-cup and are independentlytransmitted to the valve stem, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a poppetvalve and a stationary part wherein the same operates, said poppet valvehaving a valve stem, of a friction clutch comprislng a clutch flange anda clutch-cup, clutch rollers between the clutch flange and cup, aconnection between the clutch-cup and valve stem, a pair of sleevesslidably and rotatably mounted with respect "to each other andsurrounding the valve stem, complementary cam surfaces on said sleevesfor producing a relative rotation between the sleeves when they aremoved relatively in an axial direction, a spring-cup surrounding thefriction clutch, a closure therefor and a main spring between thespring-cup and the stationary part whereby lifting forces applied tosaid closure are transmitted directly to said main spring andindependently to the valve stem, substantially as described.

